


Hero of the Endowed

by Rumieru



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 05:57:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21294668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumieru/pseuds/Rumieru
Summary: "Forgive me, Master."Pulling her face close before planting his lips onto hers, Arjuna readies his bow and arrows to return to the battle from their hiding place, as the Master reflects on how much their bond has grown since.And back in Chaldea, although they both understand it was an act out of necessity, they couldn't quite stifle the little fire that has sparked within.
Relationships: Ritsuka Fujimaru/Arjuna
Kudos: 22





	Hero of the Endowed

"Forgive me, Master." 

He'd made a mistake. Having meant to test her abilities and command, he'd insisted on her taking him alone to resolve one of the conflicts that was happening within the America singularity. Although history has begun to fix itself ever since Chaldea recovered the grail, there are still small scuffles that shouldn't be that are popping up, along with the remnants of some monsters and soldiers that were summoned here due to the Grail. He has assured her that she was in no danger at all, and now, with the communications and energy source from Chaldea having seemed to be temporarily cut off, he was at a risk of breaking his word. The soldiers were quickly approaching, searching the ruins of the small town for where they could be hiding. If the transmissions from the annoying Doctor wasn't cut off, he could at least order the man to Rayshift his Master back and regroup to come back another time. Being left with no choice, inside of the run-down barn he has brought her into, he raises her face with his hands and plants his lips on hers. Of cource, he'd understood the significance of such an action, but this was none of those. It was only out of necessity, void of any emotion. Patting her head and pulling the cape that he'd give to her around her small, fragile frame, he readies his bow and heads out, surging with strength from the magical energy she poured into him from the contact of their skin.

"I'll be back soon, hide here, Master. I won't let anything hurt you."

As she sank to her knees, fatigued from having been on the run for the last three days and nights. From being woken in the middle of the night to flee and eating tree roots and drinking dew water as their rations ran out. She couldn't help but feel a fire burning hot on her cheeks. She'd understood, of course. It's happened before, with Marie in Orleans, and some of the other female servants. This was the first time a male servant had done this to her, however. And she couldn't stop her heart from racing, running amok and echoing in her ears. She can't- she has to be composed, or she might risk disappointing the great Hero who has been gracious enough to accept someone like her as his Master. 

_"Servant, Archer. I'm Arjuna. Master, please command me as you wish."_

From the first moment he stepped out of the Summoning Circle, he'd asked of her to treat his as a tool without emotion. Coolly and coldly executing orders without question. There were, of course, times when he tried to test her, either by forcing her to make him fight without backup, or forbidding certain instructions. While she was definitely not his ideal choice of a Master with her mediocre magical capacity and inability to provide much support during battle, he has also observed the many genuine bonds she has managed to forge with the other Servants residing at Chaldea. He would be lying if he were to say he wasn't at least a little curious with how forming an actual bond with her would be. _"Things I like? I feel at ease when I'm alone. Although, I suppose that is not a very heroic way of thinking."_ She had gone to his room to thank him for his assistance in the solving one of the disturbances found in a previously solved singularity. Although he had initially scoffed at her gesture and her subsequent attempts at small talk, one could tell her was very slowly warming up to her. This too, wasn't lost on the other Servants and staff at Chaldea, as he began to instruct her to rest after stressful missions, or informing other Servants and the medical staff about any sign of injury or stress she might be hiding. To the master herself, however, his cool, curt responses had mostly stayed the same, although he had grown to tolerate her visits to his room and offers of joining him for food. 

_What I hate? I do not appreciate people who try to get too close... Please be careful, Master."_

A smirk crossed his face as he watches her keenly for a reaction to his answer. Maybe that would make her realize she should stop trying to socialize with him. He was a little surprised, however, when she'd just given him a small, slightly embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of her head with a hand.

"Let me know if I'm bothering you, Arjuna-san. I'll be sure to stop." He merely shook his head at her, although his mouth did seem to turn upwards at the ends just the slightest. Why was she treating him like a human, after he'd told her multiple times to command him as a tool and a weapon. 

Thinking back to the various Holy Grail Wars he has been in. Most of the mages he had met were certainly less friendly, and less talkative. Some had treated him as nothing more than a tool or weapon, others fought with less... honourable means. Even though he did disagree with their methods, he merely sought to faithfully serve them as a familiar. Ritsuka, on the other hand.. with how much the other Servants seem to love her, perhaps, with Chaldea supplying the magical energy needed for them to function as Servants, even if she lacks the skill and capacity to be a regular Master, she was ideal. In the way that she seems to respect her Servants, and help them forge friendships, allowing even those who have had conflict in their previous lives or wars to get along enough to work together. That Roman Emperor and British Queen was one of the few examples. As were the Red Archer and Blue Lancer, who seem to work very well together however much they squabble. Of course, his half-brother of an arch-nemesis wasn't here at the moment. Nor does Arjuna truly know how he would react if Ritsuka will somehow manage to summon him to Chaldea next. In the most unexpected twist of fate, they would be in the same camp. He thought back on Karna's words to him near the end of the Fifth Singularity.

_**"Expanding sacred domain - secured. Setting divine punishment enforcement limits. Calculating amount of time needed for the convergence and acceleration of magical energy. Approved. By the wrath of Shiva, your life ends here. Pashupata!"**_

He had meant to sacrifice himself to atone for his actions, using all the magical energy he got gather, along with the amount that he held inside his Spirit Origin. Using his weapon - the celestial bow, Gandiva. Granted to him by the God of Fire, Agni, one that was said to have strength equal to a hundred thousand bows, that defeated even the gods in the Kurukshetra war. Focusing his entire being into the an area just barely around where the Demon God Pillars had gathered, he released his Noble Phantasm, leveling the ground, having accepted what is to come. What brought a bit of surprise and a small smile to his face, unknown to him, was that the Chaldea Master had actually agreed to trust him, even though they were on opposing sides just moments before.

No matter the place, nor the era he has been summoned to, he had never taken interest in another adversary. Somehow, he seems to always be craving something more, searching for the person who held his obsession. Had he noticed another Servant who reminded Arjuna of Karna, in their golden armour, platinum hair or blazing aura, Arjuna would allow himself to enjoy the thrill of battle a little. But it had never been enough. While attempting to be a proper Heroic Spirit, while pretending to be an ideal tool, he would seek his archenemy, only to end up being disappointed. Knowing it was an opportunity that would never come twice, he had given the priority to settling their grudge and feud instead of addressing his suspicion that there was something seriously going wrong with the side of the North America Myth War he was on. All that matters was that Karna was on the other side of the battlefield, that he would be able to settle and untangle the one final regret in his heart. In a world free from their previous destiny, gods and curses, they could do battle to their delight. All his other desires had evaporated, his only wish upon the Holy Grail was to face Karna again, even if the world would have to be sacrificed for it. How hilarious it was, having his wish granted without having to actually win the war. 

_"Of course. As long as people wishing to live proper lives exist. I will continue to protect them. I was given power for that purpose."_

Arjuna had scoffed at Karna's notion that the world was still worth saving, that it could still be saved. It was already too late. Especially for that half-baked Master in the fight against the King of Mages. Any struggle would be futile, especially with how much weaker her Servants were compared to them. But very well, if Karna means to stand for the good, Arjuna shall throw aside everything he had stood for to stand with the evil. After all, his family and kin were not here with him. He has no one to answer to as a Rogue Servant without a Master. No gods or parents or brothers to decide his path for him. Finally. Finally, he can do what his heart has desired for millennia. The request of his half-brother as they began their duel surprised him, but he thought little of it at that moment.

_"If you defeat me, fulfill your original duty as a Heroic Spirit, Save the world with your 'Agni Gandiva'. .. As much as I hate to admit it, you're far better than me at that sort of thing, Arjuna."_

Oh! How his heart had soared as they clashed, Spear to arrows, flames against flames. Every shot, every parry, each contact of metal against metal, of weapon against skin. No obstacles remained in the path of their duel, even if they did, he would destroy them all without mercy. The knot that had tormented him so from within his chest for tens of thousands of years finally had the chance to unravel... until it was too cruelly brought to an end once again.  
_"Starting a fight without consulting me.. Did I approve a one-on-one? At least be grateful you weren't stabbed from the back, O' Hero of the Endowed."_

The Altered Child of Light gave him a smirk as he turned his back upon Arjuna, having stabbed Karna from the back with his sacred Spear - Gae Bulg, that pierces the heart of his opponents with every strike. How dare he- How dare the man he'd sided with only to face off with Karna again interrupt him. But with the crimson thorned Servant having the Holy Grail as his mana supply, there was little Arjuna could do to take him down. 

_"_Burn him to ashes! Vasavi Shakti!_" _

__

Seeing his half brother muster all his remaining strength for an attack on the rampaging Berserker as he lashes out at the human Master broke through the anger that had blinded him. He'd later hear from Ritsuka and Mash after he was summoned, that before the final clash, Karna had requested to be in the vanguard, to stand out as much as possible, and draw him out. Karna had, for some reason he simply couldn't understand, thought that he shouldn't have been on the side of the Irish Queen and Warrior, his brother had called him a born Hero, an embodiment of justice and a true Heroic Spirit. Although he would never admit it, he may too, have thought the same of Karna at some point. He was one whose destiny wasn't laid out in a straight path before him, and yet, they stood on the battlefield as equals. Perhaps Karna was the only one during his time who was able to truly understand him. His uglier side. The darker, more twisted Arjuna, who seem to take pleasure in shooting down other lives. If a hero was meant to save people, then just what does having been a killer too make him? It was a conflict that swirled in his heart forever, only to disappear whenever he faced the Hero of Benefaction on the other side of the battlefield. His mind could be clear, his heart could be free. So, when he had finally taken the final shot that killed Karna, he was left... absolutely empty. There was not a shred of the satisfaction or relief he had expected. Everyone he knew had rejoiced at the victory. Surely, he had managed to protect the lives of his family that day, but, he had felt empty ever since. Karna had, even in death, lived on within his thoughts, his doubts and the darkness that he held within him. Although he had never regretted taking his destined enemy's life, he felt... ashamed, at how Karna had smiled ever so slightly at him at his end. Why? Why would he smile? It was a question he could never have had learnt the answer to, however long he had continued to live. 

He had answered the summon from Chaldea on a whim. In part hoping to atone for his actions in the fifth singularity, as well as to test the Master. He had been intrigued that Karna had chosen to place that much faith in her, and her in himself. When Medb had used her Noble Phantasm as a vessel to summon multiple Demon God Pillars, he was considerably impressed as that had proven that the Chaldean Master and her ragtag bunch of Chaldea and Rogue Servants had managed to push her and the Mad King into a corner. Ironically, ever since their duel was brought to the most unsastifying end, Arjuna has found himself heeding Karna's request - to use his bow for the sake of saving the world. Not that he would ever admit. When confronted with it, or when such thoughts start invading his mind, he'd always insisted he was merely trying to serve Ritsuka faithfully, as was in his capacity. 

The sound of footsteps broke Arjuna out of his reflection, he had hidden in a small grove opposite the direction of where the abandoned barn lay, in an effort to ensure that the wild beasts and frenzied soldiers would not notice Ritsuka's hiding place. Summoning an arrow from his enchanted quiver, he nocks it to his bow as he waits for them to come into the clearing, within his sight. As the first of the wyverns break through the dense cover the forest had provided, he lets loose the arrow, watching as it slams to the ground on top of one of the werewolves. These were creatures that were not supposed to exist in this time and place, causing the singularity to be restored slower than they had expected. Although that meant that Chaldea was able to send out their Master and Servants to the various healing singularities to ensure a steady supply of food, they also posed the risk of causing the fault in history to be blown up again, which was something the organization was trying their best to avoid. Thankfully, in some of the singularities, they were able to trade the monsters they've killed for bounties, thus ensuring that they have enough supplies for any repairs or adjustments needed for their systems to remain running.

The horde of beasts stop dead in their tracks, sniffing the air and scanning the trees for the source of the attack. Although Arjuna had taken note to stay downwind of the group, the werejaguars and werewolves may still be able to locate him. As simple as it would have been to deploy his Noble Phantasm to destroy them as they huddled together, without the mana supply from Chaldea, he was too aware of the risk he poses to Ritsuka should he drain too much of her magical energy. This was a battle that had to be fought with guerrilla tactics. Silently, surely, he takes aim and shoots towards any of the were-beasts who seem to have possibly caught hold of his scent. Running deeper into the cover of the trees after the fourth of them was down, noting that they had started to head for his direction. While the beasts would have been easier to handle- the soldiers- mostly left behind after being seduced and brainwashed by Medb, posed a bigger threat. Mixed with their spears and swords were slings and bottles of oil, which could easily be used to torch the forest or the nearby town.

As he moved through the forest, sniping down any who strayed too far from the group or who may seem to have noticed his location, although the werebeasts and wyverns were easy enough to pick off, the human soldiers seemed to have been huddled together, facing all directions. They seem to have been trying to form a plan, whispering and glancing around the trees where he was hiding in short, harsh and urgent tones. As some of the group raised their bottles of oil and shouted to the wyverns, he lets loose a volley of as many arrows as he could manage in a single go, taking down a little over half a dozen of them. It was too late, however, as their bottles smashed on the ground. With the wyverns breathing flame on it, he could only watch in silence as the fire jumps from the clearing to the nearby trees. 

Running to intercept them as they started heading towards the town, he shot arrow after arrow, bringing down any soldier who had tried to take aim at him with their spears or torches. His blood froze for a moment, however, as a young female Dragon broke out of the forest, it's fiery breath swelling up through it's chest to it's mouth. As reluctant as he may be, he began to prepare to deploy his Noble Phantasm.  
**_"Let us release my karma here. As a son of gods and humans, I exist to purge evil, behold the punishment I bring, Pashupata!_**

Constricting the explosion in as small an area as he could, releasing 5% of it's maximum limits, with wind and air is snuffed out of the burning trees as most of the soldiers and beasts are wiped out. Turning to the handful left behind and the injured Dragon, Arjuna takes aim for the great Beast's eyes and throat, luring her to crush some of the smaller ones next to her in a blinded frenzy. As he backs towards with village with the juvenile Dragon following him, Arjuna breaks into a cold sweat as he feels his mana supply ebbing. Had something happened to Ritsuka? Did he drain too much of her mana when he used his Noble Phantasm? He was distract from his thoughts as he was flung from the ground beneath him, the Dragon had lunged, slamming it's weight onto the ground, narrowly missing him, sending him flying from the impact. Through gritted teeth, he heads to hide in the abandoned houses in the village, as far from the barn as he could. Nocking another arrow to the bow, he tries his best to clear his mind as the darkness in his heart starts to whisper to him.

_"A hero? Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but a murderer, a cowardly one at that. Do you remember? When you let that arrow fly? Even with all you had held yourself to, when push comes to shove, you just threw it all away, didn't you? Anything that's unsightly, anything that gets too close, anything that moves your heart without your consent. Get rid of them- get rid of them- get rid of them- kill them - kill- kill your feelings - kill your heart - answer only to the ones- to the ones who have expectations of you - to the gods who have written your destiny, oh son of Indra. Third prince of Pandava. Those who come close to revealing your true heart - your true self - need not belong in this world. For the sake of staying pure, clear and untainted, they have to cease to exist. She's getting close, isn't she? That red-haired girl. She's begun to notice, surely her thoughts about it aren't kind ones, like you'd like." _

_"Arjuna, is something the matter?"_ Her eyes had reminded him of the sun, clear, bright, amber orbs who seem to be able to look right through him at times. They had gone to Londonium with the No Face May King, Robin Hood, the Demi Servant girl, and the Knight of Treachery, Mordred. It seemed that the latter had some business to finish up. Fighting the wraiths and ghosts that brought about a return of the foggy nights was... exhilarating, perhaps he had enjoyed it a little too much, causing Ritsuka to approach him after they had got back to Chaldea. At the time, he had merely replied that he was enjoying being able to help serve her faithfully. He couldn't help but laugh a little to himself. It seems his new Master is quite a stubborn one, who doesn't listen. Be it his request to treat him as nothing but a faithful tool, or not approaching him to form any sort of a relationship.

Darting towards the window, he notices the heat that has started to build up. Noting that the dragon is once again, heating the breath in her lungs to prepare to flush him out, Arjuna aims for the chimney of the building nearest to the Divine beast. The energy from his arrows blast the bricks holding it in place to dust, toppling it over and raining debris on the Dragon. As she roars in pain, a second volley of arrows piece her through the eyes, throat and mouth, bringing her causing to the ground. Struggling for breath, Arjuna heads back towards the abandoned barn.

As he moves to open the door to where his Master was hiding, Arjuna felt his hand shaking, unable to push the door in to reveal what lay behind it. Did he overexert whatever mana she could have spared for him? If he were the one who caused her to be injured, then-

Panic strikes him deep and harsh, as if someone has dunked a bucket of ice atop of him. He thinks to his brothers, his children, those whom loved him and those who he loved, that he lost in the war. They were people who admired and revered him, those whom he trained, taught and learnt from. Ritsuka was... not quite the same, yet not quite different from those people. She was odd, however. A weird mix of being someone he is to serve and protect, to someone trying to be a friend, and a student, from when he, Robin and Cu Chulainn - as much as he had to hold himself back when interacting with him, reminding himself that the one in Chaldea wasn't the same as the twisted Mad King, had tried to teach her how to use a slingshot and bow for self-defense. With how poor her capabilities for magic were - average at most even with Chaldea's advanced Mystic Codes and support, with how stubborn she was on joining them in heading into battle, they needed a way for her to be able to protect herself in times of emergency. To most of them, it was a refreshing change of pace from the Masters they were used to, which ironically, led to them being more willing to serve someone this mediocre as a Mage, compared to someone from the Clock Tower or a prestigious family. 

He steadies his hand to open the door a crack, taking a deep breath at the silence that greets him. His skin begins to crawl as he is reminded of the death of his son, Abhimanyu, who had been trapped and ganged up upon in the final days of the Kurukshethra war. Ritsuka resembled his lost, young son, in the way she firmly, steadfastly heads into the thick of battle together with her Servants. Although he was of the group who chided her for it, along with Robin Hood, the Fox Caster and to some extent, Mash, some of the other servants seem to enjoy it. Cu Chulainn, Scathach, the younger version of the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, had all seem to enjoy watching their Master stand her ground and struggle, rather than pulling strings from the back, as most of them were used to. As a result, most of them have taken to explaining strategies or their techniques to her, and training her to at least somewhat defend herself with a sling or a small shield. Their Master was quite a softie, however, and hasn't really been able to make a good shot in actual combat even though she has been improving in her practice. In the same way he was proud to watch his son grow, he too, felt himself start to approve more of the Master as they battled side by side, as much as he'd hate to admit it. His concern started to grow as their battles grew harder in each singularity, with the staff from Chaldea being unable to keep up the adjustments needed to keep the wounds from being inflicted on her physical body in the Rayshift Coffin. He adverted his eyes each time she went over in her casual clothes to invite him to the cafeteria, to keep himself from being caught staring too long at each new scar inflicted on her skin, and from the growing guilt within his heart.

Forcing himself to step into the barn, he froze upon seeing Ritsuka slumped over on the ground, his cape in a messy heap underneath her. Had he caused her to pass out from using too much of her mana, - if that's the case, if he had drained too much of her supply, it could put her in danger. Carefully swaddling her with the fabric of the cape, he pulls her onto him as he sits up against the barn walls, resting her head on his shoulder as he carefully checks for any sign of injury - What if she had hit her head when she fell unconscious? The initial inspections show no sign worthy of concern, and Arjuna slowly plucks his gloves off from his arms, shifting his legs to tuck her chin against his shoulder. He found himself being unable to touch her. He hadn't expected himself to let her get this close to him, having intended to watch over her progress from a distance. With slightly trembling fingers, he brushes her hair to the side as he cups her cheeks, sighing in relief as he felt no heat or clammy coldness upon her skin. Gently cradling her head against him, he slowly lets himself sink to his exhaustion and falls asleep.

> Arjuna finds himself in a house with wooden floors, among a crowd of people dressed mostly in blacks. Silence hung heavy above all those who had gathered, with the scent of rising inscence filling the air. In an adjoining room, there was a thick, wooden box draped with a white blanket and covered in flowers. The photo that was place before it was of a man he doesn't recognise. With hair fading from tawny to white, and brown eyes that have faded from age. He looked somewhat familiar, prompting the Archer to scan around the house. In a seperate room, he caught a glimpse of a shock of red hair. As he phases through the crowd to approach her, he sees that she is sitting on a stool, holding hands with a kindly old lady, much younger and smaller than he'd expect. It was his Master as he remembers her, red hair as beautiful as the light of a setting sun, and bright golden eyes. She turned over and looked right at him, and he found himself nervous for a moment. What if she went to speak with him, or didn't recognise him, given that she was most likely no older than six or seven at the time?
> 
> Fumbling with her words and grasping her grandmother's hands as the latter smiled sadly at her and ruffled her hair, the younger Ritsuka spoke up.  
"Grandma, is what the aunties and uncles said true? That my parents don't want to come back anymore? Will I be unable to see them again? Will they leave us just like grandpa did?" She had seemed to be trying to stay composed for the one he assumed was her grandmother, but her voice starts breaking up, and large, round tears splashed onto her small, clenched fists. Her grandmother cradled her towards her shoulder, a little bit like the way the pair were resting now, patting her hair and her back softly, soothing her. "Now, now, dear. I know your cousins and aunts have been rather mean about your parents, but I'm sure they still love you very much. As they're both overseas on business trips now, they should be back in 2 days for the wake. Don't pay their words any heed. I'll be here for you, alright?"
> 
> With a small nod and a smile, the little girl plucks herself off the chair. In the moment, she glanced over to Arjuna once again, and seems to bow at the Servant briefly, before rushing off with her grandma to help serve tea and food for the crowd who'd come to pay their respects. Arjuna watched her intently, glad that Ritsuka seems to not have lost her courage and optimism. He held himself back from reaching out to assist her as a clumsy pair of hands spilled some hot tea over her feet- he'd phase straight through her even if he had, and the rush of memories and emotions he'd felt from previous similar experiences were rather unpleasant, from when he had worked with Mages. 
> 
> The scene then shifts to a slightly older Ritsuka - one at about fourteen or fifteen, sitting in a hospital room. On the bed was the same elderly lady from before, with a myriad of tubes and needles attached to her arms. Stroking the younger girl's fingers with her own withered ones, she smiled with eyes the same shade of gold as the pair he had grown used to seeing. "I'm sorry, Ritsuka-chan, I hadn't meant to make us miss our baking class." The teenager merely returned the remark with a small chuckle, cupping her grandmother's hand in her own. "Maybe grandpa didn't want us to learn how to make a swiss roll. He use to say it'd be heresy for a traditional sweet-maker to switch to making those 'sticky, icky western sugary foods'." Her grandmother gave a small laugh in response, nodding vigorously with an energy she didn't seem to have, which set her into a coughing fit. Rubbing the elder's back, Ritsuka waits until her breath is steady once more, her eyes darting to the empty side table and to the phone on the nightstand.. "Do you want me to call mother? We should at least tell her what's going on." 
> 
> Dismissing her question with a small wave of her hand, her grandmother smiles warmly. "There's no need to trouble her, she's working on a large assignment in France, after all. I'll be all better in a jiffy, don't you worry." Even as the shadow of death had hung over her, she was trying to cheer up the girl as best as she could. As the days turned into nights and back again, he watched as Ritsuka spent all her time after school staying by her grandmother's side as her condition started to improve, then deteriorate. Like a withering tree crashing down upon itself as it's trunk is eaten away from the inside, he watches in silence as Ritsuka's daily life crumbles away at the slow process of losing her closest family member.  

> 
> Once again, Ritsuka was kneeling alone in a room crowded with people dressed in black. Her father had come early in the day to avoid the crowd of relatives from her mother's side, her mother having video called her to talk about her grandmother's passing, unable to leave from the string of important meetings she had to attend. As he sat next to her in silence, the harsh words that he had missed from before now drifted into the room, with no shown effort of trying to hide them from the girl they're discussing.
> 
> "Her mother hasn't even come back to attend the wake, what a joke."  
"What did you expect from a family who fell apart since the couple were both too preoccupied with chasing their careers. I bet their daughter was an accident."  
"They basically ditched her onto her maternal grandparents once she was seven. She was such a sickly child that they had to take a lot of time off when she was younger to take care of her. I bet they wish they never gotten a child."  
"Who do you think will take her in? I sure don't have enough money to feed another mouth."  
"Hey, who knows? Maybe with how successful her parents' careers are, they'd be more than willing to pay a pretty penny for someone to take care of her."  

> 
> As Arjuna found himself shaking in anger from those careless, thoughtless words, Ritsuka, her own body shaking from the crashing wave of mixed emotions that are hitting her, shook her head slightly. The gesture calmed him down somewhat, and he watched as Ritsuka went to greet the visitors who had arrived just at the moment, with her small, easy smile and not a cloud of the emotions boiling within her shown on her face. The group of relatives had now shifted into gossiping about somebody else, paying no real concern to the girl.  


Waking up from the dream with his forehead covered in sweat, Arjuna takes a few deep breaths to steady himself as he patted his Master on the back, easing her chin onto his shoulder. With how friendly and easy-going she was in Chaldea in front of everyone, he hadn't expect her to have grown up so isolated and alone. Perhaps that was partly the motivation for her wanting to get closer to him. Although his was the opposite, with his family celebrating and singing him praises, he did feel.. somewhat left out, as he was unable to enjoy things the other children could. Days that they had spent playing, he had been training hard to fulfill his destiny as a gifted warrior. Friendships that had been forged from struggling together or aiding one another, were granted to him simply due to his name and standing. Brushing her fringe to the side, he gently presses his lips against her forehead, before pulling back quickly in surprise at what he'd just done. His movement stirring her from her sleep. 

"Ah, Arjuna-san, welcome back".  
His heart winced slightly as she greets him with her usual smile, the same as the ones he saw from the dream of her memories. How could she be so genuine, so trusting, even after all the pain she has been put through? Ruffling the hair on top of her head as he pulls his hand away, Arjuna sighs softly, looking up and down the girl.  
"Are you hurt anywhere? I didn't mean to use that much of your mana, it was my fault that you-"  
Cutting him off with a quick smack on the shoulder, Ritsuka crosses her arms in an "X" shape in front of her, leaning closer. Shaking her head enthusiastically.  
"Bzzt bzzt, I just felt like taking a nap, and so I did." , sticking her tongue out a little at him as she stands up, waving his complaint away. Arjuna couldn't help but smile slightly in exasperation, humanity's last Master can be rather childish at times. She nearly topples over from having stood up too fast, however, prompting the Servant to rush up close to catch her. As his eyes met with hers and her smile, he unintentionally remarked,  
"You take after your grandmother.", these were words that weren't meant to be spoken. Watching as her expression softens into a sad smile at his remark, she clenches her fists into the fabric of his clothes.

Silently chiding himself, Arjuna is broken from his train of self-critical thoughts by Ritsuka's hands pressing against his chest, pushing against him to straighten herself up. Her voice betrays none of the wetness that has gathered in her eyes, as she beams up at him.  
"So you saw the dream too, I thought I felt someone being beside me. Well, baking lessons aside, we could probably do with something to eat now, don't you think?"  
Sighing at the ridiculous smile she seems to regularly wear on her face, regardless of how dire the situation they were in, Arjuna nodded in agreement and followed Ritsuka outside the barn, hoping to find anything of sustenance for his Master in the abandoned houses. Their search didn't take long, however, as they discover a small handful of thugs dragging along a young family a little ways off from the town in a caravan.  
"Yer heard of that abandoned town just a little further North, ain'cha? We're gonna use that place as our base, get a bunch more of people like you, have our fun with them before we auction all of yer off as slaves! Ha! We're gonna be rich off the confusion this weird-ass war has brought!  
A sneer spreading on his scarred face, the driver whips his horses harshly, pushing their skinny legs further than they should be able to go. The father of the young family holds his wife and daughter close to him, trying to keep the youngster from crying as the adults weep, having been ambushed en-route on the way to their families after their town was destroyed. Another four bandits were jeering at them from within the caravan, pigging out on their supplies and laughing as they made eyes and gestures at the woman and her daughter.

Arjuna's eyes dart between the form of his Master and the approaching Caravan. Conflicted as he had felt about her plan, he took his position within the cover of the trees quietly, as the girl went out alone to greet them. Nocking an arrow to his bow as the driver of the caravan notices the young Master, his face breaking into a greasy grin, Arjuna couldn't help but sneer a little to himself. As the heads of the other bandits peeked out from the cover of the vehicle, he lets his arrows loose and his smile widened, catching two of them between the eyes, and a third through the neck. The horses stop short of lunging right into Ritsuka, relieved at the disappearance of the harsh whip and shouting voice that was commanding them. Watching as she slowly strokes them on the chin as two more men jump out into the open, swearing and cursing at her as they drew their blades. Leaping off the tree to run out into the open, he catches one with an arrow to his chest as he swings his bow to block the weapon of the other that was slashing down at his fearless Master. Ah, although the tactics they had used wasn't quite as honorable as he'd like, he was purging the world of evil, he grins to himself as he knocks the weapon out of the last man's hands, slashing him across the chest as the bandit panics and tries to turn away.

As Ritsuka checks on the family and is offered some of their food, Arjuna went to check on the horses, who were taking the chance to rest and regain some energy by eating. As he looks over the fallen bodies of the bandits, he doesn't notice Ritsuka walk up beside him with some bread and apples.  
"Arjuna-san, is something the matter?"  
The Archer froze, the expression he wore earlier wiped off his face as he approached the Master in slow, measured steps. Had she managed to catch a glimpse of the other side of him, of the self he was hiding? If that happened, then, he might have to be forced to- Leaning in closer as he stood right over her - he could simply swing his bow and end the possibility of his darker side behind found out - but...  
"Master, was there something on my face a few moments ago?"  
Calming his thoughts down enough to answer her question with one of his own, Arjuna looses his grip on his weapon, he had after all, answered her summons to atone for his actions, the act that he was about to commit - that crossed his mind for that brief moment, would be an ultimate betrayal onto himself, his Master and his duty.  
"It's nothing, you just didn't look yourself. But we've been stranded for a number of days, so you might have overexerted yourself. You've earned a nice, long break for your hard work, Arjuna-san."  
He smiles, half in relief and half in response to the Master's own. She might be right, they have both been pushing the limits of what Ritsuka's mana capacity could handle, after taking a short rest and sharing a quick meal with the grateful family, the pair requested for them to drop them off an empty field, where a leyline was located. Assisting Ritsuka as she drew the magical circle, the relieved faces of Da Vinci, Romani and Mash appear from the closed circuit just as she completes her chant.

"Senpai! I'm so so glad you're okay! You shouldn't be hurt since we were still able to monitor your vitals while the communications were out, but a malfunction in the control room downstairs caused our mana supply from Chaldea to you and Arjuna-san to be cut off temporarily."  
Ritsuka answers the Shielder's smile with her own tired one, but her reply was cut off by a shriveling, crying Romani who nearly fell over on Mash while trying to squeeze into the screen.  
"Ritsuka-chaaaaaan, I'm s-so h-happy that you're safe. I'm s-sorry, we'll be Rayshifting you both back in a bit, I'll need to have you come over to the medical office for a check up."  
Shaking her head as the Doctor goes off to wipe his tears on his sleeve, Da Vinci winks at the pair before a flurry of golden sparks engulf them.  
"Well done, Ritsuka-chan, Arjuna, take a break for now and leave everything to us. Don't worry, I'm a genius, after all."

**Author's Note:**

> A tribute to my first SSR - Arjuna.


End file.
